The FINANCIAL — ŠKODA AUTO set a new sales record in 2017. The traditional Czech brand’s global deliveries rose by 6,6% to 1,200,500 vehicles (2016: 1,126,500).
For the fourth time in a row, ŠKODA AUTO sold more than one million vehicles in a year. In addition to the best-selling ŠKODA OCTAVIA, the most important growth drivers are the ŠKODA SUPERB and the new SUVs KODIAQ and KAROQ; both have enjoyed great popularity since their launch.
“2017 was the best year in ŠKODA’s 122-year history. This gives us further impetus, and we would like to thank all our customers for the trust they have placed in us. The past year has demonstrated that with ŠKODA Strategy 2025, we are on the right path to successfully shape the profound changes in the automotive industry. At the same time, this success motivates us to go full throttle again this year. And that is exactly what we are doing with numerous new products and mobility solutions that will delight our customers,” says ŠKODA CEO Bernhard Maier.
Alain Favey, ŠKODA Board Member for Sales and Marketing, adds: “The fact that both of our new SUV models have been so well received by customers right from the start is thanks to our strong sales network. ŠKODA dealers around the world did a fantastic job in 2017 – they are an important pillar of our success.”
For ŠKODA, 2017 ended as it began: with a sales record. After the best January in the company’s 122-year history, the Czech carmaker also set a new record for the month of December. With 107,500 vehicles delivered, ŠKODA exceeded the previous year’s result by 19.2%, according to Volkswagen.
In Western Europe, the Czech carmaker’s deliveries to customers increased in 2017 by 5.2% to 477,700 vehicles (2016: 454,000 vehicles). In December, ŠKODA recorded an increase of 7.0% to 33,600 units in this sales region (previous year: 31,400 vehicles). With 173,300 vehicles sold for the full year, Germany remains the world’s second-largest individual market for ŠKODA. Sales here increased by 4.9% (2016: 165,200 vehicles). This makes ŠKODA the number-one import brand in Germany once again and consolidates its position among the well-known volume brands. In December last year, the manufacturer increased its deliveries in Germany by 12.2% to 13,500 units (same period last year: 12,100 vehicles). In 2017 the Czech carmaker achieved double-digit growth rates in France (27,300 vehicles; +18.5%), Italy (24,700 vehicles; +20.3%), Austria (24,300 vehicles; +17.9%), Norway (8,600 vehicles; +11.7%). The brand records strong growth also in Greece (3,200 vehicles; +116.5%).
In Central Europe, ŠKODA’s sales increased by 12.7% from January to December 2017 to 207,100 vehicles (2016: 183,800 vehicles). In the final month of last year, the company’s deliveries increased by 5.6% to 14,200 units (December 2016: 13,400 vehicles). Selling 95,000 units in 2017, ŠKODA delivered 8.0% more vehicles in its home market of the Czech Republic than in the same period of the previous year (2016: 88,000 vehicles). In Poland (66,600 vehicles; +18.5%), Slovakia (21,000 vehicles; +11.4%), Hungary (12,700 vehicles; +16.2%), Slovenia (7,100 vehicles; +12.7%) and Croatia (4,700 vehicles; +35.7%) the Czech brand achieved strong double-digit growth.
In Eastern Europe excluding Russia, ŠKODA also posted strong growth over the year as a whole. With 41,300 vehicles, the manufacturer delivered 17.9% more vehicles than in the same period of the previous year (2016: 35,100 vehicles). In December, the brand grew by 36.2% to 3900 deliveries in this region (December 2016: 2,800 vehicles). The Baltics (7,400 vehicles; +13.3%) and Serbia (6,700 vehicles; +17.5%) as well as Ukraine (6,100 vehicles; +69.4%) and Bosnia (1,600 vehicles; +16.5%) made positive developments throughout the year. In Russia, ŠKODA achieved a year-on-year increase of 12.5% to 62,300 vehicles delivered over the full year (2016: 55,400 vehicles).
ŠKODA’s strongest sales market worldwide is still China. In this region, the Czech carmaker’s sales increased by 2.5% to 325,000 units in 2017 (2016: 317,100 vehicles). In December, the brand delivered 42,400 vehicles to customers – 41.8% more than in the same month last year (December 2016: 29,900 vehicles).
In addition, Israel (23,400 vehicles; +14.5%) and India (17,100 vehicles; +31.4%) recorded positive developments in 2017 as a whole.
Deliveries by the ŠKODA brand in 2017 (in units, rounded off, listed by model; +/- in percent compared to 2016):
ŠKODA OCTAVIA (418,800; -3.9%)
ŠKODA RAPID (211,500; -0.6%)
ŠKODA FABIA (206,500; +2.1%)
ŠKODA SUPERB (150,900; +8.7%)
ŠKODA KODIAQ (100,000; – )
ŠKODA YETI (69,500; -27.8%)
ŠKODA KAROQ (6,300; – )
ŠKODA CITIGO (only sold in Europe: 37,100; -8.8%)
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